Fresh, Home-made Pasta (Fettucine)

MONDAY, DECEMBER 21ST, 2009

4 stars (out of 5 - delicious but a time-consuming process!)

When we returned from Italy last year, we went into a total pasta withdrawal and craved the home-made fresh pasta that we had been living off of for the previous three weeks. We decided to buy a pasta-maker and try it out ourselves. Now we're addicted!

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour*
4 eggs (large)
1 tbsp olive oil
Pasta machine**

{*Note. You will also need some extra flour for the rolling process... perhaps another 1/2 cup at most}.

(**Note. If you do not have a pasta machine, you can cut the pasta with a knife, although this will probably make an already time-consuming process even longer, so I don't know if I would recommend it!}.

1. First, we measured the flour into a medium-large bowl. Although you are supposed to sift the flour first, we are always too lazy, and it turns out well, regardless. You want to then hollow out a little hole in the middle of the mound of flour.

2. We then added the eggs to the dipped area of the flour.

3. We then stirred the mixture in the bowl, until it was all mixed into a dough (this becomes quite tough and you need good arm muscles!!). With our hands, we then kneaded the dough (adding flour as we needed when it became too sticky) until it was a fairly evenly kneaded, and pretty dry ball.

4. When it looks like the picture below, we then wrapped it in Saran wrap and placed it in the fridge for about 10 minutes.

5. After it had set in the fridge, we started to roll out the dough. Use a lot of flour here so that it doesn't stick. Also, the dough needs to be pretty dry to be able to go through the pasta machine without a mess.

6. Along the way, we made it into an elongated shape, so that it would fit through the pasta machine. You can see the width of the pasta machine in the third pic below.

7. Once it was about the right shape and about 1/2 inch thick, it was ready to go through the machine. However, because the machine elongates the dough so much, we first cut it in half!

8. We then put it through the pasta machine on the largest setting ("7" in our case).

9. We then kept putting it through the pasta machine on a subsequently lower setting each time ("6" then "5" etc.). At some point it will become very long again and you will need to cut it. Please remember to keep adding flour to each step. If your dough becomes too sticky, it becomes very tricky not to make a mess.

10. Finally, we finished on the "4" setting. This is for very thick noodles, which we like. However, you may find that a "3" or a "2" works better for you.

11. Once it was at the desired thickness, we put it through the other side of the machine, which cuts the pasta. It's a good idea to have a clean plate waiting for the pasta on the other end.

12. This is how it looks on the plate. We have found that it separates it pretty well, but that there is always 2 noodles stuck together which you have to separate by hand (pretty easily if you have added enough flour along the way).

13. We then piled the separated pasta on another plate. Because it can become so compacted, make sure to add more flour at this point so that they don't stick together, and fluff the noodles up once and a while.

14. We then just added them to a pot of boiling water for about 2 minutes (for VERY al dante... 3 for less so, depending on the thickness). Serve it then with some of you favourite pasta sauce.

Here is SB's served with his mom's great salmon recipe (http://etryingtocook.blogspot.com/2009/06/salmon-dinner-guest-recipe-merci-eliane.html):

Overall, the home-made pasta is a great treat. I can't really comment on the effort (although I know it is pretty time-consuming), since SB really takes care of the majority of it, with me as his assistant. I don't know if my arms could handle it! It's a bit of trial and error to find the right thickness and cook-ness for yourself. One other warning: after getting used to home-made pasta, it's hard to go back to the store-bought!! Now, we have to find a great home-made pasta sauce recipe... sigh.